Stokesia plant named ‘Purple Pixie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Stokesia  plant named ‘Purple Pixie’ characterized by a short, compact habit that doesn&#39;t open up with maturity, large violet blue flowers, and good vigor.

Botanical denomination: Stokesia laevis.

Variety designation: ‘Purple Pixie’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Stokesiaplant, botanically known as Stokesia laevis, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Purple Pixie’. Stokesia is in the familyAsteraceae. This new cultivar originated as a seedling from an openpollinated cross between Stokesia laevis ‘Purple Parasols’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 10,660), as the seed parent and an unknown Stokesia laevis, asthe pollen parent.

Compared to Stokesia ‘Purple Parasols’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,660),Stokesia ‘Purple Pixie’ has shorter flowering stems and an upright habitrather than an open habit. It is a more compact version.

Stokesia ‘Purple Pixie’ is distinguished by:

-   -   1. a short, compact habit that doesn't open up with maturity,    -   2. large violet blue flowers,    -   3. good vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in greenhouses and laboratories inCanby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctionscome true to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingasexual propagations. The present plant has not been evaluated under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary withvariations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph shows a 1 year old ‘Purple Pixie’ growing in the groundin full sun in the field in mid-summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Stokesia laeviscultivar based on observations of a 1-year-old specimen growing in theground in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in Canby, Oreg.Canby is in Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from ahigh of 95 degrees F in August to an average of 32 degrees F in January.Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields inCanby, Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 5 to 9.        -   Size.—35 cm wide and 24 cm tall to top of flowers.        -   Form.—Basal clump.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.-   Stem: acaulescent.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong lanceolate.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate and basal.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 14.5 cm long and 2 cm wide.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Petiole description.—Distal leaves sessile, proximal leaves            petiolate and grow to 5 cm long and 1.5 mm wide, Green 138C,            bases clasping.        -   Surface texture.—Sparsely tomentose on both sides.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Topside — Green 137A with the vein Yellow Green 145C.            Bottom side — Green 137C with the veins Green 138C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Corymbs.        -   Number of corymbs per plant.—About 38, unbranched to            5-branched.        -   Peduncle description.—Ascending, grows to 21 cm tall to            terminal flower and 2.5 mm wide, internodes grow to 4.3 cm            long, unevenly tomentose, Yellow Green 147B with small Brown            200A oval spots and scattered tomentum, White 155D.        -   Pedicel description.—2.5 cm to 9 cm tall, grows to 1.8 mm in            diameter, tomentose, Yellow Green 147B tinted with Brown            200A.        -   Immature heads.—While still developing the disc florets are            tightly closed in a flat-topped ovoid, 44 mm wide and 12 mm            deep, surrounded by the 4 layers of showy green phyllaries,            Green 137A.        -   Mature heads.—6 cm wide and 3.3 cm deep, pseudo-radiant            (corollas of peripheral, bisexual florets enlarged,            zygomorphic).        -   Phyllaries.—About 35, in five leafy series, lanceolate,            acuminate, margins pectinately spinose at the base, grows to            4 mm wide and 25 mm long, Green 137A on both sides.        -   Ray florets.—None.        -   Disc florets.—Perfect. Size— 2 cm to 3.7 cm wide and            becoming 3.5 cm deep with maturity. Count — approximately 60            disc florets per inflorescence. Corolla — funnel form, tubes            longer than throats, peripheral corollas enlarged and            zygomorphic, grow to 4.2 cm long and 7 mm wide at the lobes,            inner corollas more or less actinomorphic 2 cm to 3 cm long            and 4 mm wide, 5 lobed, lobes lance-linear, corollas inside            and out glabrous and colored Violet Blue 89C above the tube,            with the tube Violet Blue 91C. Pistil — 1 per floret, 24 mm            long; ovary White 155D and 3 mm long, 1 mm wide; style 20 mm            long White 155A; stigma extruding, 2-branched, spreading 6            mm wide, White 155A. Stamen — 5 per floret, filaments 10 mm            long and threadlike, White 155D, anthers flat and oblong            shaped, 2.5 mm long, pollen Yellow 11B.        -   Bloom period.—July through September in Canby, Oreg.        -   Lastingness.—Each head lasts for about one week.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Seed: Not seen.-   Disease and pests: Stokesia are susceptible to leaf spot and    caterpillars. None of these have been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions in Canby, Oreg. No resistance is known.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR Stokesia

Compared to Stokesia laevis ‘Purple Parasols’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,660), ‘Purple Pixie’ has shorter flowering stems and an upright habitrather than an open habit. It is a more compact version.

1. A new and distinct Stokesia plant named ‘Purple Pixie’ as hereinillustrated and described.